High-Tech for the disabled!

The archetype of all humans, their ideal image, is the computer, once it has liberated itself from its creator, man. The computer is the essence of the human being. In the computer, man reaches his completion.

Friedrich Dürrenmatt

An associate professor at the Université Antonine and also a humanitarian; Dr. Youssef Bou Issa has defined the world
of engineering in a whole new dimension. His research interests are in computer
human interaction and particularly the accessibility for blind users. The main objective of his recent
research is to study new interaction techniques for disabled people, elaborating
new models to enhance computer human interaction.

The issue of accessibility
for blind users consists of translating hidden visual information into tactile
or/and audio, not only by providing technological tools but by studying the
fundamental concepts of trans-modalities. During the research, the work
comprised the transformation of shapes into vibration using a vibrating touch
screen. In addition; a new type of visual information is under study,
consisting of analyzing postures and gestures of a person in order to translate
their psychological meaning for the blind users.

Another research topic in the domain of
computer human interaction is made in collaboration with Ellipse team in IRIT
France; concerning pointing techniques in a 3D environment. The objective is to
propose a new technique optimizing the time spent to select a target in a 3D
environment.

Dr.
Bou Issa has been participating in several publications since May 2008, his
most recent was in preparation with Balaa
E., Raynal M., Dubois E.; presenting the topic of: “Classification of Pointing
Techniques in the 3D Virtual Environment on Mobile Devices” at the 16th
International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction in Greece, June 2014.

He
is currently formulating a new study along with Dr. Taline Boyajian and
graduate Inass Salloum entitled: “A new approach of Automatic detection and
analysis of Body Language”; waiting to be published in August 2015 for the
17th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction,
Los Angeles California. This
project will be discussed soon in future technological related articles.